Luke 5:7 kjv

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

Luke 5:7 nkjv

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

Luke 5:7 niv

So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

Luke 5:7 esv

They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

Luke 5:7 nlt

A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

Luke 5 verses

Luke 5 7 Meaning

Luke 5:7 describes the astonishing and overwhelming result of Jesus' miraculous instruction to cast nets. After a night of futile labor, the disciples encountered such an immense catch of fish that their own boat was insufficient to hold it. They urgently signaled their partners in a second vessel to come and assist them. Even with the combined efforts of both crews and both ships, the sheer quantity and weight of the fish filled both boats so completely that they began to take on water, on the verge of sinking. This powerfully illustrates Jesus' absolute authority over creation and His capacity for super-abundant provision, far exceeding human expectation or capacity.

Luke 5 7 Context

Luke 5:7 is positioned within the significant event of Jesus calling His first disciples, namely Simon Peter, James, and John. Preceding this, Jesus had been teaching by the Sea of Galilee, then used Simon's boat as a platform (Lk 5:1-3). Following His teaching, Jesus gives Simon an unusual command to launch out into the deep and let down their nets for a catch (Lk 5:4). This command directly contradicts Peter's seasoned professional experience, as they had "toiled all night and caught nothing" (Lk 5:5). Nevertheless, Peter obeys, stating, "at Your word I will let down the net" (Lk 5:5). Verse 7, then, describes the immediate, physical consequence of that act of obedience: a fish catch so monumental it could not be contained by Peter's vessel alone, necessitating the desperate call for help and nearly capsizing both ships. This astounding display of Jesus' power and ability to provide not only convinces the disciples of His divine authority but also profoundly prepares them for their subsequent call to become "fishers of men" (Lk 5:10), indicating a similarly vast and humanly impossible harvest. The event underscored the radical shift from their secular vocation to their divine mission.

Luke 5 7 Word analysis

• And they beckoned: The Greek word kateneusan (κατένευσαν) means "to nod down" or "to make a sign by nodding." This implies an urgent, non-verbal communication, indicative of the extreme pressure and immediate need caused by the massive catch. It underscores their overwhelming predicament.
• unto their partners: The Greek term metochous (μετόχους) designates business partners or sharers in a common enterprise. This signifies that the call was to fellow professionals in the same trade, highlighting the established fishing venture shared by these families and reinforcing the collaborative nature of their work.
• which were in the other ship: The Greek heteros ploiō (ἑτέρῳ πλοίῳ) specifies "a different ship," not merely "another." This emphasizes that Simon's boat was already beyond capacity, making a completely separate vessel necessary to manage the overflowing abundance.
• that they should come and help them: The Greek verb boēthēsai (βοηθῆσαι) means "to come to aid," "to succor," or "to assist in a moment of distress." This directly expresses the critical nature of the situation and the disciples' inability to handle the extraordinary blessing without additional support.
• And they came: This simple phrase shows the prompt response and cooperation within the established partnership, highlighting mutual support and readiness to assist, especially given the shared risks and rewards of their profession.
• and filled both the ships: The verb eplēsan (ἔπλησαν) means "to fill completely" or "to load full." This illustrates the immense, unprecedented quantity of fish, completely saturating every available space in both large vessels.
• so that they began to sink: The Greek phrase katavaptizesthai (καταβαπτίζεσθαι) denotes a state of being overwhelmed, submerged, or on the verge of foundering. This dramatic detail conveys the astonishing weight of the catch, visually depicting a blessing so abundant that it threatened to destroy the very means by which it was received, underscoring the miraculous and supernatural scale of Jesus' provision.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "And they beckoned unto their partners": This immediate, non-verbal appeal highlights the emergency and the severity of the catch, signaling that the situation exceeded the capacity of Peter's boat and his usual crew. It emphasizes that this was an emergency requiring external, yet trusted, assistance.
• "which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them": This specific request clarifies the immense scope of the miracle; not just one boat but an entire second vessel was needed. The explicit plea for "help" underscores the disciples' immediate physical limitation and inability to manage the extraordinary blessing independently.
• "And they came, and filled both the ships": This phrase communicates both the prompt cooperation and the unparalleled scale of the fish catch. The "filling of both ships" implies a bounty so immense it transcended any normal experience of professional fishermen. It serves as powerful physical proof of the miracle.
• "so that they began to sink": This culminating phrase graphically illustrates the overflow of the divine blessing. The imminent sinking conveys that the abundance not only met but drastically exceeded their human capacity, pushing their material resources to their absolute limit. It vividly portrays the overwhelming power of Jesus, which can even threaten to overcome the very vessels designed to contain its fruit.

Luke 5 7 Bonus section

The almost sinking of the boats serves not only as a dramatic demonstration of abundance but also as a catalyst for a deeper spiritual awakening, directly leading into Peter's profound response in Luke 5:8, where he confesses his unworthiness. The extreme nature of the miracle compels a personal and spiritual confrontation with the presence of Jesus. This abundance that strains physical capacity can also symbolize the spiritual overwhelming by God's grace or presence that often precedes a radical calling. Furthermore, the necessary collaboration between the two ships highlights that the work of God's Kingdom, particularly in evangelism and discipleship (fishing for men), often requires corporate effort, not just individual isolated ministry, preparing them for the broader community of the early church.

Luke 5 7 Commentary

Luke 5:7 vividly illustrates the principle of divine super-abundance, directly contrasting it with human limitation. The experienced fishermen, who had previously toiled fruitlessly, are now faced with a blessing so immense it strains the physical capacity of their entire operation. Their urgent summons for aid from their partners and the subsequent filling of two large boats to the point of sinking powerfully emphasize that what Jesus provides transcends all natural bounds and human efforts. This incident serves as a parabolic lesson for their future calling. Just as their physical nets were overwhelmed with fish, their future ministry as "fishers of men" would involve an equally, if not more, overwhelming "catch" of souls, far exceeding their natural abilities. This necessitated an absolute reliance on Christ's divine power. The extreme nature of the blessing (near-sinking boats) serves to shatter their prior perceptions and profoundly underscore that serving Christ would mean embracing a ministry marked by a similar, God-sized abundance that requires dependence on Him, not their own skill or strength.